Car lovers cruise Kearney for five-day festival

A festival focused on shiny automobiles opens today in Kearney. Brad Kernick is chairman of the 28th Annual Cruise Nite, which has expanded from just one night to five full days.

The main events are centered around 600-plus custom and classic vehicles that will line the town’s streets.

“Cruise Night has evolved into five days of automotive-flavored events,” he says. “I make the comparison with a menu at a restaurant. People go in and different people like different things. Same way with what we offer. There’s all different types of activities.”

Some of those activities include the car shows, auctions and cruises, along with a burnout contest and drag racing. There’s also live music, barbeque, a motorcycle show and car parades.

Kernick says the event brings in all types of vehicles from across Nebraska and several neighboring states.

“The cars that come, it’s a broad array, from big, shiny Corvettes to rat rods to pickups and everything in between,” he says. “Our theory is, if you have a car you’re proud of and it’s your pride and joy, we want to have it here.”